“I’m no messiah”: Ramphele’s new party goes to ‘war on corruption’

Dr Mamphela Ramphele has officially launched a ‘party platform’ called Agang (Sesotho word meaning ‘build’), promising to "build the country of our dreams".

Ending weeks of speculation as to Dr Mamphela Ramphele’s expected big political announcement, as many expected she has launched a new political party.

This morning she officially launched a ‘party platform’ called Agang (Sesotho word meaning ‘build’) at a news conference in Johannesburg, promising to “build the country of our dreams”.

Speaking at Women’s Gaol on Constitution Hill, Ramphele said the party will â€œdeclare war on corruption”. Agang already has a website and twitter handle, and will contest the 2014 national elections.

Ramphele said, â€œThe country of our dreams has unfortunately faded for many of my fellow South Africans. The dream has faded for my sisters and brothers in rural areas who live under the threat of being again made subjects of traditional chiefs and other unelected traditional leaders through proposed acts of our own Parliament. The dream has faded for the many living in poverty and destitution in our increasingly unequal society. And perhaps worst of all, my generation has to confess to the young people of our country: we have failed you. We have failed to build for you an education and training system to prepare you for life in the 21st century.

â€œI am here today to invite you, young and old, to re-imagine the country of our dreams and to commit to building it into a reality in the lives of every South African. I have said that I am no messiah. No single individual acting on their own can build our nation into the country of our dreams. But I am willing to be a bridge between my generation — those of us who fought for freedom who remember not only with their minds but also with their hearts — and that of my children. For us the dream remains alive as a link between those who sacrificed their lives for freedom to be born and those who live in the hope of seeing the reality of the dream come alive in their own life time.”

She blasted alleged corruption in the governing party when she said, â€œThe ANC’s Chancellor House investment arm represents the most blatant example of how the governing party has abused the state to benefit its loyalists and to sustain itself in power.”

However, the news of Rampehele’s party was not greeted with excitement by all.

Lindiwe Mazibuko of The Democratic Alliance said last week that she was wary of a new opposition party as it could fragment non-ANC voters and attract potential DA voters, thus diluting the strength of opposition to the ANC.